


Dark Sun

by hilary



Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Angst, How Do I Tag, M/M, One-Sided Kurusu Akira/Sakamoto Ryuji - Freeform, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Ryuji is Angry, Slow Build, Traitor!Ryuji AU, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-17
Updated: 2021-03-22
Packaged: 2021-03-26 17:09:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,582
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30109275
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hilary/pseuds/hilary
Summary: Ryuji was used to having his life completely flipped around at the drop of a hat.
Relationships: Akechi Goro/Sakamoto Ryuji, Amamiya Ren/Sakamoto Ryuji, Kurusu Akira/Sakamoto Ryuji, Persona 5 Protagonist/Sakamoto Ryuji
Comments: 10
Kudos: 27





	1. Chapter 1

Ryuji was used to having his life completely flipped around at the drop of a hat. 

One of those times being the swift way Kamoshida had snapped his dreams and leg all in one fell swoop during his first year of Shujin, causing his first whirlwind change of bleaching his hair and letting himself act like the delinquent the school knew him as. If he was going to be labelled, he may as well play the part. 

His outlook on life seemed to dull, seeing the actions - or lack thereof - of the teachers and other adults that were supposedly there to help him whilst his entire world crumbled apart around him. His mother being an obvious exception.

Ryuji's next life-changing experience occurred when a certain dark, messy haired teen entered his life early in his second year, bringing rays of hope to his darkened world. 

Although, getting lost in a castle from an alternate reality was not part of Ryuji's plans for that day. Admittedly, neither was seeing the boy; that he now knew as Akira Kurusu; explode into blue flames, magically change into what Ryuji could only describe as a smartly dressed extra from a magic act, and somehow summon a strange winged humanoid form behind him.

Akira was quiet, smart and Ryuji was not ashamed to admit he was good looking too. Very quickly, the two became friends after bonding over the events that occurred in the bizarre castle of Kamoshida's.

Ryuji didn't sleep very well that night. Other than the fact he'd been so close to being executed, his brain could only focus on the potential of that other world. If he could somehow obtain the power that Akira had, he could put Kamoshida in his place - giving the 'teacher' his desperately needed payback for the hellish year Ryuji had to endure because of him.

Getting Akira on board to go back in was easy enough, disguising his intentions as wanting to help the others suffering worked like a charm. It wasn't that he didn't want to help everyone else, but this fight was purely fueled by selfish revenge and he wasn't sure Akira would take that reason and he certainly wasn't going to risk telling him about it.

What he didn't plan, in surveying the castle again, was finding a strange, talking monster cat named Morgana in one of the cells.

He seemed nice enough at first (especially to Akira), but when he started insulting Ryuji's intelligence soon after, the novelty of the talking cat had worn off.

Ryuji followed the two Persona users around the castle. His anger towards the so-called teacher slowly being fuelled by seeing the students in the dungeons combined with the dull ache in his right leg where Kamoshida had broken it. 

Until eventually, Kamoshida's shadow confronted them in the main hall and whatever gods or deities he had prayed to last night must've listened to him. He was furious by the time the Shadow had finished mentally torturing the blonde. Channelling his anger, fury and pain towards the so-called teacher, he awakened to his Persona, the skeleton pirate, Captain Kidd.

It was not an experience he enjoyed. The combination of having the most brutal, extreme headache mixed with having to rip something off that was almost fused to his face was not exactly a joy to go through. 

But he would do it all again if it meant he had the power to get back at everyone that had ever wronged him. Not that he ever vocalised that side of his thoughts.

Especially when Morgana had found them in the real world and brought up the fact a few days later, that if they went through with the plan to change Kamoshida's heart, it could kill him if it went wrong. Akira had hesitated, causing Ryuji to follow his lead. He couldn't give less of a shit if the man dropped dead with all the bullshit Ryuji had thrown at him the past year but Akira had only known both Kamoshida and Ryuji a few days at most. He hadn't asked to be thrown out into the city, never mind being dragged into another reality. And he certainly wouldn't want 'murder' added to his criminal record as well as assault.

A few days after when Shiho Suzui tried to end her own life and they, along with innocent Yuuki Mishima, had been threatened with expulsion, Ryuji was at boiling point. Akira agreed to go in and change Kamoshida's heart no matter what the outcome became, Ryuji could see the silent fury in the silver-grey eyes of the raven haired teen.

Unfortunately, gaining Ann Takamaki as an ally the same day wasn't in his plans either. Once again hiding the darker side of his rage from their new team member, they progressed through the Palace until they finally made it to Kamoshida's throne room.

\-----

Making the calling card, as per Morgana's instruction, was the easy part. Sneaking into school early and slapping the many copies onto the notice boards without getting caught was the hard part.

Ryuji slouched against the wall in front of the main entrance later on that same morning. Akira stood next to him, quietly surveying the group of loud students surrounding one of the notice boards.

"Is this a prank?"

"It's gotta be, right?"

"So the rumours are true?"

The ex-track star grinned as he noticed Ann walking towards the pair after reading the card amongst the students. 

"Well? What d'ya think?"

Ann paused for a moment. "Yeah, I got what you were trying to say…" She twirled a pigtail in her hand. "But it sounded like an idiot trying to be an adult."

"I have to agree, it was mediocre at best, Ryuji." Morgana added, popping up from Akira's bag.

"Shaddup!" Ryuji snapped back.

' _Why don't you just appreciate what I've done instead, dammit!_ ' He shouted in his head, shoving his hands deep into his pockets in an attempt to curb his anger.

Before anyone else could make any more comments about Ryuji's calling card, Kamoshida himself made an appearance right on cue. The teacher yelled at the group of students gathered around.

"Who did this?!" Desperation taking the form of fury took control of Kamoshida as he strode over to the trio of teens, Morgana made himself scarce into Akira's bag. "Was it you, Sakamoto?!"

Ryuji feigned ignorance as best he could. Despite the growing temptation to throw a punch at Kamoshida that Akira couldn't stop him from.

"I don't know what you mean." 

"Tch. It doesn't matter, soon enough you'll be long gone." He replied.

Ryuji was going to enjoy beating his Shadow up later.

"That's definitely the reaction of someone who knows their desires are about to be stolen." Morgana popped his head back out after the teacher left the group in peace.

"Let's do this no matter what." Ann said with a determined look in her eye. Ryuji nodded, his own determination slightly tinted with the blackened vortex of revenge that threatened to swallow him up.


	2. Chapter 2

The throne room was empty when they returned to the previous position of their infiltration. Akira - Joker, the codename they'd settled on - spotted the fully materialised treasure sitting in the same spot that the distorted, shadowy orb had been last.

After a couple of minutes prising Mona off the treasure, they started the daunting task of exiting with the giant crown undetected. Skull was only slightly disappointed that Kamoshida hadn't shown up. Captain Kidd stirred in his mind, mirroring Skull's feelings for a fight.

A chant of Kamoshida's name and the sudden smashing of a volleyball into the crown knocked the thieves off balance, causing the crown to go flying to the feet of Shadow Kamoshida.

"Well, well, well… Looks like the petty thieves don't know when to give up." He began. Skull didn't bother to listen to his excuses. Captain Kidd was restless. He kept a tight hold of his metal pipe and held Kidd back in his mind. For now at least.

Coming back to his senses, Skull heard Panther yelling at the soon-to-be ex-teacher. The Shadow transformed into a massive deformed version of itself with the treasure balancing perfectly on its head.

"Watch out! Here he comes!" Mona warned the group.

"Bring it!" Skull answered back, letting the skeleton pirate free and firing off a Zio almost immediately, not noticing the slight red tint of the bolt.

\-----

"No!" The Shadow screamed as it returned to the normal version of Kamoshida after his defeat. He scrambled to get his crown back. Skull cornered him on the throne room balcony.

Skull scoffed, moving closer to Kamoshida. "You ruined innocent lives with your bullshit." 

Captain Kidd moved with Skull in his mind as he brought his shotgun up to aim directly at the Shadow, with Kidd moving the cannon attached to his arm simultaneously.

"You ruined _my_ fuckin' life," He snarled, running off of adrenaline and fury. "Only fair I ruin yours."

“Fine… I’ve lost… If you finish me off here and my real self will go down too. You’ve earned that right since you won…” Kamoshida told the shaking form of Skull.

Joker watched the blonde carefully. Mona and Panther cautiously waited behind him, prepared to act if necessary.

Skull's finger trembled on the trigger of his gun. His heart pounded and he could barely hear the thoughts in his head. Skull could feel the pressure on the trigger build.

"Skull!"

The sound of a shotgun blast echoed around the chamber and Skull's legs buckled, exhaustion taking over. His gun clattered to the floor.

Joker rushed over to the crumpled heap that was Skull. Kamoshida, still in one piece, looked petrified with tears flowing down his cheeks as he stared at the indent of the shotgun shell in the pillar directly next to his head.

With the promise that he'd turn himself in for his crimes, Kamoshida's shadow faded away back to the real world. Skull let out a breath he didn't realise he was holding.

"What were you thinking?! You could've killed him! And after everything I told you back at school as well!" Panther screeched.

He was well aware of how close he came to becoming a murderer. Skull didn't need Panther of all people to tell him the obvious.

His hands still shook and his heartbeat was starting to calm down. Looking back at the mark in the pillar, he couldn't help but feel a little disappointed he'd flinched at the last minute, letting Kamoshida return in the end. It was a rush he wanted to experience again - however twisted that may be.

Maybe it was a blessing he'd missed. He'd found people that actually wanted to talk and hang out with him. Even if they barely knew his dark thoughts, he didn't want to jeopardize this team.

Not yet anyway.

Not until they realised how warped Skull could be. 

How bleak and twisted his own mind could get when thinking of the many adults that were meant to help him and his fellow students.

And now, how much of a rush it was to pull the trigger on someone, not just a meaningless shadow, to deliver justice his way.

"I know, I know, I'm sorry." He replied to the angry girl in front of him.

Panther opened up her mouth to chastise the ex-runner again but was quickly interrupted by the castle shaking and slowly crumbling apart.

"We need to leave, are you able to run?" Joker asked. Skull nodded, getting back on his feet. "Good. Make sure we have the treasure and let's go!"

\-----

Even with Ryuji's slip up with his bad leg, they made it out all in one piece somehow.

"Holy shit, that was close... Everyone alright?" Asked Ryuji. Murmurs of acknowledgements came from across the group.

"Did we get it?" Ann questioned, readjusting her hair. 

Akira swiftly pulled out a gold medal from his pocket. "Right here."

Everyone let out a sigh of relief.

"So, when do we see this 'change of heart'?" Ryuji asked the cat.

Morgana shrugged his shoulders the best he could in his cat form. “I’m not sure, this is the first successful attempt for me. We should see some results soon though, I’m sure of that at least.”

The ex-track star sighed. "Guess we go back to business as usual until then."

After the goodbyes were spoken, Ann left Akira and Ryuji alone to head to Shiho's hospital room. Akira's piercing gaze lingered on Ryuji. He'd noticed every detail about his behaviour in the Palace. Everything from the fiery anger to the crimson tint his Persona attacks suddenly gained.

"Hey, Mona, can you give me and Ryuji a minute? I'll come find you when I'm done." He whispered to the cat. He nodded and silently and gracefully leapt out of Akira's bag.

"'Yuji? Do you have a minute?" He asked before the ex-runner left for his own home.

"Yeah, what's up?"

"What happened near the end?"

Ryuji froze. "What do you mean?"

"You nearly willingly killed Kamoshida, I've never seen you that angry before. I know that doesn't mean much since I've only known you a few weeks now but still." Akira said, explaining his thoughts. He wasn't sure if he should mention the colour of his attacks.

The blonde felt his lingering fury bubble back up again. "So what? He would've deserved it. I told you about what that asshole did to me, right? He snapped my effin' leg like a twig! You know what happened to Suzui too and yet you still don't get it?" He snapped.

"I understand all that, Ryuji, I'm not trying to defend him in any way. I'm just worried about you." Akira calmly reassured the blonde. "It was like you were a different person…"

Ryuji frowned. "I'm fine. I just got… carried away, that's all." _Not a total lie_ , he thought.

Akira pushed his glasses up. "Okay." He gave Ryuji a small smile. "But know that if you need to talk, I'll be there."

The messy haired teen exited the alleyway, shouted for Morgana and then he was gone, leaving Ryuji with his thoughts.

If he bothered to look inside himself he'd know that Akira was right, that he was just looking out for one of the only friends the guy had in a new city. 

All Ryuji could think is how Akira had the nerve to question his motives after he'd shared how much the teacher had done to not only him but his fellow students. He practically knew the ins and outs of Ryuji by now. His past, his routines, everything.

The more rational side of his brain showed him scenarios on how much worse killing Kamoshida would've made his situation. Not to mention the rumours that would fly around Akira. He didn't want to fuel the fire for his criminal record. 

Ryuji just wanted to be free of Kamoshida's looming shadow over the school. Granted, if they did successfully manage to change his heart, he'd be confessing his sins any moment now and he'd be arrested on the spot. 

It felt like a bittersweet moment to Ryuji. It didn't feel like enough to combat the suffering and pain the teacher caused had been done but on the other hand, if he confessed he'd be gone just as much as the alternative that Ryuji aimed for.

Ryuji huffed in frustration and headed towards the station, dragging his wild tornado of thoughts and feelings with him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm actually really proud of the way I wrote the ending of Kamoshida's bit - I felt like Ryuji's feelings on him got swept under the rug in favour of Ann (not that she didn't deserve it) so I had him up front instead ^^

**Author's Note:**

> this has been an idea I couldn't get out of my head for aaaages and I couldn't help but think that the second anime op fit both Akechi and Ryuji in this case (and I was replaying it a lot when I had this idea)
> 
> thanks for reading! its gonna be a long ride!
> 
> eryth-sea-alcamoth.tumblr.com !!


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